


Nice Voices - English version

by FlaminiaK



Category: the GazettE
Genre: Angst, Attempted Murder, Drama, F/M, Psychological Torture, Romance, Slice of Life, Translation, a little bit of torture, return of an ex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2018-10-04 05:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10269392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlaminiaK/pseuds/FlaminiaK
Summary: «it annoys me if someone knows my name without telling me yours...what's your name?» he asked and for a bunch of seconds he could only hear a deep silence «Oi? Too much personal?» he pressed and the girl coughed out a little embarrassed chuckle «n-no, nope! It's...it's ok, but you know in this job no one ever ask for my name so I...I wasn't prepared for that question! You know...the voice is the only thing that matters» she talked with now a lower tone and Aoi almost could imagine a little smile ride across her mouth «I'm Flaminia, but it's a mouthful so you can call me Fura-chan».-°-°-°-°-°-°-«Welcome to the erotic phone service Nice Voices, pure pleasure for your ears»I'll be slower to update this since I need to translate every chapter from italian to english, but I'll be sure to put one at leas every week or even more!





	1. Boys will be boys

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Nice Voices](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10269020) by [FlaminiaK](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlaminiaK/pseuds/FlaminiaK). 



«Wanna see something super-cool?» Reita asked him, while he was using their free time to relax and smoke, after the encoré.

Aoi moved his eyes to look at his friend, raising an eyebrow with a curious expression «I found it last week...and it's what every man should try at least once!» the bassist chuckled while taking out his phone from the pocket «why you always think about sex, uh?» giggled Aoi, amused to see Reita starting to dial a number «I feel fine thinking about it...and until I get a girlfriend, this is my only outlet» continued the blondie, pressing quickly the smartphone on his friend's ear «Welcome to the erotic phone service Nice Voices, pure pleasure for your ears» the guitarist heard talk a nice, robotic voice and his eyes darted to the collegue «you're sick» he said to a chuckling Reita «c'mooon, try it! Even two minutes, number is my favourite!» grinned the bassist, touching the said number on the phone's numpad «you have chosen voice number five. Thank you for being our client!» kept on talking the registered voice and after few seconds of deep silence, through the telephone came a sweet and malicious, female voice, that talked with slow and soft cadence «moshi-moshi?» «yeah hello, my wanker friend wanted me to try and talk with you» the cold and harsh voice of Aoi made Reita blush, but the girl on the other side of the conversation made a little laugh «aah, I see! And I have the pleasure to talk with...?» she asked.

Aoi moved his dark eyes on Reita's face, that urged him to go on with the call «I'm Yuu, the dumass here near me is Akira» spoke the guitarist, starting to relax his back against the sofa where he was sitting from the start, putting out his cigarette in the nearest ashtray «Aki-chan's friend? I recognized just now his number» responded the girl, that was lying on her bed, in her apartment «what you want to talk about? I'm here to listen to everything: how's going your job, what's the weather...or I could describe you what I'm wearing right now» her voice became a whisper in Aoi's ear, talking naughtly.

Reita, near his friend, was starting to sweat a little «Aki-chan? How many times someone need to call to get such a cute nickname?» pressed the guitarist with an evil grin on his face «Just once, Yukkun...» aswered the girl rolling on her stomach, taking a little block notes from the near nightstand «but Aki-chan is calling a lot lately, so I almost memorized his number...if you're so interested in your friend, you can turn up the phone's speakers and be our voyeur» she joked with a smile, taking a pencil to start drawing on the notebook in front of her «W-wha?? Don't even think about it!» he whispered on Aoi's shoulders, where he was perched to listen the conversation «No thanks, I have other fetishes...and I'm the listener type too, so why don't you tell me about your day?» he said while making fun of the red cheeks of his blond friend.

The girl's voice came out confused, from the phone «uh? My day?» she asked astonished, detatching the pencil's tip from the paper.

People always called for many other reasons, but if that guy wanted to listen, so be it: she was paid by minutes on the phone, not the quality of the calls «Well I got up really early this morning because my cat wanted to eat» she started to draw again, sketching a little black kitty «then I had breakfast with some music on the background, I made myself pretty for the day and now I'm here with you, my dear Yukkun» she giggled «even if you're not the first call, today...there are always guys calling in the middle of the night before their wives had headaches».

While the girl was talking, Reita stretched his hand to his phone «you're burning up all my money, you should've asked something sexy!!» he hissed « we just finished a fucking concert, you really thought I was ready to jerk off?» Aoi's ironic reply got cut off by a soft plin! from the other side of the call «sorry boys, I have an urgent call...it's ok to call me back this evening?» she said with a calm voice and the guitarist shrugged, even if she couldn't see him through the phone «Aki-chan will call, I'll be in my home making something better than disturb a young lady» answered Aoi and after he gave back the phone to his owned, the man took his second cigarette of the day, lighting it between his lips.

Reita put the phone on his own ear, but he only heard the soft sound of the terminated call «aww great now I can't even vent out all the adrenaline!» said the blond guy, while Aoi was getting up from the sofa, the cigarette in his mouth and his dear guitar in the hand «you know, Rei, there's something called _immagination_...use it, it works pretty well!» laughed the guitarist, before heading out of the dressing room.


	2. Welcome Home

The girl sighed slightly after the umptieth call of her so-called 'premium' costumers and rolling on her back she looked up at the ceiling of her room, thinking on how much irritating was that work, on certain days.

She took her notebook and chuckled while looking at some little sketches: she didn't remember to having written 'aki-chan' and 'yukkun' followed by some chibi faces, a mental image came from the sound of their voices.

The girl found herself wanting to hear again from that Yuu guy, but per contract she couldn't call back the costumers and the only thing she could do was getting off the bed, wearing something decent and go out to buy something to eat for dinner.

She scrolled on the cellphone to activate the 'offlin' mode, to avoid any unwanted call, and got out of her apartment to walk quickly to the nearest conbini, without looking at anyone's face along the road.

It wasn't easy to get a lot of money out of that job, but it was the only one she could get and the girl wasn't exactly able to terminate the contract she had to sign, not for the moment «it's five hundred twenty-five yen» said the cashier with a gentle voice, after he scanned the few instant ramens that the girl bought, along with some fresh vegetables and an handful of fruit.

The girl paid the amount and thanking the clerk, she got out of the store, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to look at the far Tokyo Tower.

She sighed again for that day: she always wished to be able to see the tower with someone at her side, but everytime that her relationships broke, she blamed her poor self-esteem and the terror that her father infused in her partners' minds.

Her father...he was able to scare her too.

That's why she was working that sleazy job, because otherwise it would be a really big problem for her...her father bought the shares of that little firm, so he could hide something more serious in those erotic calls.

Nothing too much illegal, at least for what she knew...the girl never thought her father killed someone like the mafia, but surely he wasn't a good man.

Stretching the lips on her teeth, started to walk again towards her apartment, thinking joyfully about some recipe she could make that evening, but she opened her entrance door she found her father's shadow in front of her.

He was still wearing his dark gray suit, his squared jaw gritted while was holding the girl's phone in his big hands «So?? Slacking off on the job??» said with an harsh voice and the young woman stiffened in the entrance «I-I...I went out to go buy something...to make dinner, I swear...» she started to talk with trembling tone and the man in front of her, towering and with steely glance, reached out his free hand to grasp the girl's throat, pulling her near himself «you know your working hours...and you KNOW you have to answer every fucking call» he slammed her again the wall on his left, still clenching his fingers around her neck «ahk...! I-I..y-yes s-..sorry d-dad» she gasped breathless, raising her hands to hold onto her father's wrist.

Her eyes started to roll back into her head, feeling dizzy for the absence of oxygen in her lungs, and her feet started to kick weakly «d-da...d!» she tried to call out.

Suddenly his father let her go, looking at his daughter falling on the ground while coughing violently «punishment time. You know what to do» he said with a raspy, cold voice.

The girl nodded still on the floor and slowly, she stood up un her knees before bowing so much that her forehead touched the wood of the flooring «I'm...really sorry for my behaviour» she muttered and the man in front of her raised a foot, placing his leather shoe on her nape to press her face on the ground «what are you?» he seriously asked, his hands still closed in hard fists «I'm...nothing» the girl barely responded, feeling the pain of her forehead starting to make her eyes teary «WHAT are you» repeated her father, twisting his shoe's sole on her tinted hair, grinning when she whimpered «I..I'm...a wastage...of flesh and...bones» he heard her cry softly.

Slowly her father put his foot back and after few seconds he kicked his daughter in her stomach, feeling her figure curling against the tip of his moccasin «Isn't difficult, see? Remember it...and don't fucking dare to leave during work hours again» he barked sternly, looking the young woman now clutching at painful area of her torso, moaning «and stop whining, be thankful that I didn't use the belt. Back to work, now!» the man let her phone fall on her body with a soft thud, before leaving the apartment closing the door behind his back.


	3. Spring Smoker

After a long day of recordings, Aoi got out of the room and went towards the emergency stairs to light himself a cigarette, after the many hours in which he couldn't smoke because of his busy hands.

  
On his way he saw Reita passing near him to go record his own bass pieces and when the two met in the hallway, the blondie winked at the collegue, taking his own hand near the masked face with only the little finger and the thumb stretched out of his fist «fuck off» the guitarist addressed him with an amused smile.

  
Some days have passed since that first call and sincerely Aoi's mind made some thought on it, maybe he would've try some other 'voice' of that not-so-clean service, but have been told to do it by Reita was utterly against his pride.

  
When the guitarist got out, breathing the crisp spring air, he put a cigarette between his lips and lit it with a small, slow gesture of the lighter.

  
He took the cellphone, then, searching for the bassist's text where he wrote down the number of the service.

  
Why not? Have a chat from time to time wouldn't be bad and it was only entertainment between recordings, nothing more.

  
Aoi dialed the number, waited for the taped welcoming voice and chose the fifth voice awaiting for her to answer «moshi-moshiii?» came the sweet voice of the girl on the other side and the guitarist leaned against the handrail, looking at the city in front and below him «Oi, g'morning» said, without knowing perfectly how to start a conversation.

  
Somewhat he felt embarassed to make those calls, maybe a little 'dirty' thinking about it «mmmh I know this nice voice...Yukkun?» asked the girl, the ghost of a smile that could be heard in her voice «exactly, it's me again» he answered with a low chuckle «you have a lot of memory, if you remember me» «you have a very intriguing tone that's not so much around...if the company opens the male section, you could get a lasting job and a sea of fangirls!» she laughed on the other side of the call, making him giggle too «nah thanks, I already have a satisfying job» he exhaled the smoke that he took in while the girl was talking, looking the smoke thin out in the weak sunrays «tell me Yukkun, why you called today? Chit chatting or something more spicy? I'm all yours» whispered her and Aoi closed his eyes, feeling the embarassment growing inside of his chest «just talk...we're in the middle of the day, anyway. If you hear me after the sunset, maybe it could be for something else» he murmured to not be heard by anyone aside the girl on the line, taking a deeper breath from the filter of the cigarette and let out the smoke from his parted lips «it's ok, don't worry. I already had shy guys before, nothing to be ashamed of....so, how's the work? You didn't tell me what kind of job is yours, Yukkun» she started to talk with a calm and relaxed tone, like she was speaking with an old friend.

  
That particular helped him calm down a little «not bad, everything's going well. I work in the musical field, along with Akira and some other friends» he started to tell without saying to much details, to avoid future problems «ohhhh nice! I love music!» she exulted cheerfully «so you sing? With this soft and silken voice you have to sing!» the girl giggled, making Aoi chuckle while putting out his cigarette in the ashtray that he took with him from the record room «I sing from time to time, but I mainly play the guitar...now I want the one to ask something» he blurted out before she could talk «it annoys me if someone knows my name without telling me yours...what's your name?» he asked and for a bunch of seconds he could only hear a deep silence «Oi? Too much personal?» he pressed and the girl coughed out a little embarassed chuckle «n-no, nope! It's...it's ok, but you know in this job no one ever ask for my name so I...I wasn't prepared for that question! You know...the voice is the only thing that matters» she talked with now a lower tone and Aoi almost could imagine a little smile ride across her mouth «I'm Flaminia, but it's a mouthfull so you can call me Fura-chan».

  
The guitarist grinned softly to hear that peculiar name, puzzled by its exoticism «Fura-chan, mh? Ok then...it's nice to meet you too, then» laughed taking another cigarette, lighting it quickly.

  
Aoi spent nearly an hour on the phone with Flaminia, talking about this and that, of what he loved, liked or hated, finding himself even more curious to know that kind of face the girl had «now I need to go back, see ya Fura-chan» said the man after his third cigarette «Ok, have a nice day Yukkun! Hope to hear you soon--» she chirped softly.

  
Aoi tightened his grip around the phone «tomorrow» he murmured almost like a promise and cut off the call, exhaling deeply as the display of his smartphone turned off temporarily.

  
The guitarist saved that number so he didn't have to dial it everytime and, with a strange smile on his face, he got back inside the building hearing Kai calling him for their last record of the day.


	4. Bite the bullet

Flaminia heaved a deep breath when she heard the call stopping, that 'tomorrow' that Yuu whispered in her ear was the cherry on the cake.

With all the phonecalls where she had to moan with fake pleasure or talk with sensuous voice, the ones with the musician were the best she were receiving, chatting about anything and everything with tranquility and sobriety.

His voice was wonderfully husky when talking about more serious things, but she started to love also the high-pitched, joking tones that he would make when starting to get excited when talking of something he would enjoy.

The long series of mamamama and sosososo that he made from time to time when the guy was thinking to a reply to her questions and the infinite mhmhmh of when he was agreeing of what she was just saying.

Flaminia would never believe she could have so much fun during that 'job', but at the end the voice of the man on the other side of those communications made her heart slightly lighter than before.

She took the smartphone, this time taking it with her to the space near the entrance, that was both living room and kitchen, filling the kettle with some water to prepare one of the instant noodles that she bought some time before.

While she was waiting the famous three minutes for her lunch to 'cook' in that styrofoam container she turned her head to look outside the window, looking at the pale sun that was moving fast in the winter sky towards the horizon «you can run away...» she whispered softly with an expression full of discouragement.

A little part of her always wanted to escape that reality, live a normal life of a normal twentysix years old girl, with a normal job and have a normal loving relationship...but the rest of her mind made her give up everytime: her father would not only find her immediately, but the punishment for her flight would be mortally exemplary.

Flaminia gulped lightly at the thoughts while lifting up the lid of the ramen cup, starting to eat near the window while a delicate indie music was playing on the background, coming out from her phone on the short table.

The vernal evening was no less different from the afternoon, always on the phone, but while she was in line with yet another client that wanted to know what she was wearing at that moment, Flaminia heard the door of her apartment open and close with a loud bang.

Immediately she get up from the bed to go check why her father was there again, holding the phone by the ear, and she felt her guts starting to turn into ice when the girl saw her parent quite tipsy.

She watched him take off his shoes with some difficulty, then walking wobbly into the living room gesturing her to stop the call «oh, I...I have an urgent call to take, I hope you don't mind Toya-tan...could you call me later? Thank you--» she chirped with a sorry voice, but her face was warped by terror: her father never had her to stop a call if not for something really, really bad.

Bad and unhappy for her.

When Flaminia eventually turned off the cellphone, she held it behind her back, watching her father moving his hand to make her approach him «w-what? S-Something...didn't go well at work?» she asked intimidated by the strange expression of her parent, who stared at her with drunk, shiny eyes full of anger «you know...I though about at your mistake of few days ago...and I don't think you'll never learn if I don't punish you decently. I'm always too much lenient» he said with a quite slurred tongue.

His big hand, hure compared to the girl's face, came up to her jaw pressing against her cheeks to oper her mouth by force «you're like your mother...same pretty voice» said the man, leaning on her with a dark espression on his face, feeling his daughter tremble under his touch «let's see if you're more...tougher than her» continued shoving her against the wall, pressing her there for a little while «on your knees and mouth open» barked and Flaminia couldn't do much but obey to that stern order, terrorized that the man could take the chopstick from the table to stab her eyes out if she didn't do what he said.

Flaminia opened her mouth, but instinctively recoiled from the form of her father, looking at his hands coming near her face, a pair of fingers that slided right on her tongue, like he wanted to roughly test it, reaching the bottom of her throat without a warning.

If she didn't eat lunch earlier that day, surely she would have thrown up ramen all over the floor because of that action, but what she could only do was feeling her own throat contract around the thick fingers of her father, moaning out strangled gasps.

Suddenly, Flaminia heard her father chuckle softly «like your mother» he muttered completely drunk, bringing his free hand to his hips and pushing aside his jacket to show her the shiny, new gun that was tucket in the waist of his trousers, against the pelvis «n-no...please...d-don't...!» the girl chocked out that plead while she was trying to stop the parent before he could take the weapon, but again his enormous hand found its way between her teeth, massaging heavily her tongue and the insides of her mouth, ignoring the cries and the coughs of the yound lady.

Panicked, Flaminia then bit down on her father's fingers, hearing him curse and remove his hand from her mouth, clutching her forehead to slam her nape violently against the wall «damn bitch! Who told you to bite?? I'll teach you some manners...!» breathed the irate man, holding now the gun as he stared his daughter close her eyes due to the throbbing pain in her head, trying to clear her sight without success.

And in that moment of confusion, again the hand of the man grabbed her jaw, forcing her to fully open her mouth «scratch it and I swear I put a bullet in that fucking head» he roared, approaching the weapon to her face only to sink it inside her mouth, sliding it with a single, slick movement until it got inside her throat.

His hand tighened around the gun, grinning.

With a satisfied smirk, her father brought his free hand around the girl's neck, feeling the hard and vague shape of the barrel of the gun against his palm.

Pulling back the weapon he heard her coughing and gurgling «your voice is my property, along with the rest» he murmured, before putting the muzzle of the gun again on her toungue, pressing hard against it.

He heard the faint tinkling of the girl's teeth that barely touched the metal of the weapon and the man chuckled softly again, as he forced Flaminia to tilt her head back against the wall «I can kill you whenever the fuck I want...and no one would know» he whispered with a terribly sweet voice.

Quickly, he took her wrists when he felt her tries to push him away and held them up, pressed against the wall, as he thrusted the gun now inside her mouth and down her throath without giving her time to breathe, pushing her nape against the wall.

The smile on the man's face widened more when he heard her moans and retching make the weapon vibrate, with her throat more and more contracted around the barrel and the eyes of his daughter squeezing shut.

She tried again to escape the harsh and pressing presence of the gun, but failed again with chocked sobs.

Flaminia's body started to have small seizures, while her legs were trying in some way to make her escape from the iron grip of her father, but slowly her movements began to fade and became weaker «this is hurting me more that's hurting you, Minnie...I can assure you that» chucked her parent.

Her face was now trailed by heavy tears, her eyes closed shut and her throat crossed with spasm was the final touch to the man who, looking at the girl now completely abandoned against the wall, made a low laugh.

He drew the gun from the throat of the semi-unconscious girl and moving it to the side the father used the weapon to strike her face in the face.  
Flaminia began to cough violently bending sideways, breathing in with deep wheezes, her pupils narrow like pins «I can take your life like I gave it to you, sweety» her father said, pointing the gun still damp with her own saliva, looking her curling up against the wall.

The man looked the girl's eyes widen in pure panic and in that moment he pulled the trigger, emitting only a faint _click_.  
Flaminia flinched violently by the fear of being killed, but the only thing that happened was the harsh laughter of her father in seeing her trembling on the floor.

He left her there then, heading to the entrance of the flat «I hope you've understood the lesson...» he murmured opening the door, abandoning her in the small pool of saliva where Flaminia was in, her lungs still twitching in powerful coughs, choking in her own moans while big, thick tears started rolled down her cheeks.


	5. Take a Break

Aoi begin to take as habit to call the girl whenever he had free time, increasingly more and more often as the days passed: from an hour or so every now and then, he found himself looking foward the time when the meeting where he was now would end, so the guitarist could run out of the building for a smoke and a chat with Fura-chan.

Reita obviously had to butt in, asking how it was going with the number given to his friend, but Aoi had quickly avoided the question sending him to hell with a bump with his fist against the bassist's shoulder.

Aoi then walked past him taking out his dear cigarette before opening the exit door.

Once the filter was caught between his lips, the guitarist took the phone from the back pocket of his jeans, looking for the girl's number scrolling down in the phonebook app.

When he started the call, he wedged the cellphone between his ear and his shoulder to take out his lighter from the other pocked, lighting the tobacco with a quick suck of air from the filter «Welcome to the erotic phone service Nice Voices, pure pleasure for your ears» Aoi heard the recorded voice and immediately pressed the number five button, sure he would hear the cheerful greeting of Flaminia in a couple of seconds.

Instead he felt the cellphone make a couple of indecisive buzzes, before the taped voice could talk again «we're sorry, but this voice is currently unavailable. Press zero to receive a message when your selected voice will be available again or press asterisk to return to the main menu» he was told, his happiness slowly melting away.

Unavailable? Probably some other costumer preceded him with their calls...nevermind, he pressed the zero on the numpad and after few other thanking words looked the call stop itself, leaving him seeing only his display fade softly back to the background.

Aoi waited then for the message and, in the meantime, began to smoke slowly, staring at the road under the emergency stairs, watching people walk back and forth, across the road on the pedestrian crossing or entering the stores, getting out some time later.

The dark, thoughtful eyes of the guitarist followed a woman with her dog on the leash, a group of highschoolers, a couple of girlfriends and work colleagues, wondering again what face could possibily have Falminia.

The night before he made a rapid call when he just returned home, changing the friendly tone of the conversation into something more sensual for a couple of seconds, asking her for example what she liked in a man and what she looked like, talking explicitly about the shape of her face or what haircut she had.

Aoi couldn't be completely disinhibited while talking with Fura-chan, although it was literally her job to talk about kinky things, but the joyful and tender tone in her voice made him curl in embarassment when the thought of that same voice with a more malicious vocal timbre bubbled up in his mind.

Flaminia described herself as a quite chubby girl, with short pixie hair with a longer tuft of hair going to the left to cover a big portion of her forehead.

Aoi closed his eyes while trying to imagine her at the best of his abilities, taking another mouthful of smoke from the cigarette.

She wore a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her button nose, big chocolate eyes looking at him with glistening happiness, full rosy lips always stretched in an amused smile.

The guitarist chuckled softly when he remembered the huffed words of her while talking about the color of her always flushed cheeks, but as he asserted her, it mattered little to none to him...in fact, it probably made her even prettier, as if she were eternally shy.

When Aoi felt the warmth of the cigarette's ashes far too close to his fingers, his eyes opened and the guitarist had to search for the ashtray nearby before he could burn himself.

In the same time, his cellphone beeped a small sound, sign that a text had just being received «ahh finally...» mumbled to himself, sitting down on the grates of the stairs next to the ashtray, dialing back to Nice Voices, hitting five as soon as the recorded voice welcomed him again.

He waited some other slightly broken connection sound and in the end he could hear the soft, sweet voice of the girl picking up «moshi-moshiii...» whispered Flaminia, making Aoi's heart shiver a little «Oi, were you busy with someone else?» chuckled him immediately «I hope I didn't interrupt anything» smirked then, grasping his cigarette pack: of the first one, he could only took a couple of puffs, barely «Yukkun, goodmorning» answered Flaminia with a much happier voice «no, no I was just...I was on lunch break» she innocently laughed, even if the laugh seemed a little nervous «how are you? Job's done for today?» continued her, as to want to distract him from making her too much personal questions.

Aoi remained silent as long as it taken to the second cigarette to lit up and after a deep breath he let the smoke slip out of his parted lips, looking it swirl and curl in front of him «just escaped a really boring meeting» he snickered «but from tomorrow I'll have a week of holiday before starting with a small tour» continued the guitarist, lifting his eyes to the white, foggy sky, focusing on Flaminia's voice «ahh how nice, you need this little rest Yukkun, sometimes your voice is so stressed out» she retorted «and you already have plans for this beautiful week? I hope you'll include me in the list» she joked, but Aoi noticed the small tear in her cheerfulness.

It had been a split second, but he was used to discern even the slightest change in a melody...and he was able to recognize what he thought was almost a sob.

The man took another deep suck from the cigarette filter «I don't have much in mind, but I had a little idea...and you're part of it, Fura-chan» shared, hearing the girl stop her breathing for a couple of seconds «wanna know?» Aoi smirked and Flaminia chuckled softly on the other side of the connection «sure you learned quickly to know me, uh? Just a couple of weeks that we talk and you have me already around your fingers» replied her, curling on the mattress touching the bruise that her father left on her face, looking at the signs on her forearms.

Aoi grinned, tightening the cigarette between his teeth «how about seeing each other?» questioned «public place, of course...your choice» continued, hearing a deep silence come out of the speaker of his phone.

She would have declined his invitation, he knew that...well, he tried, his curiosity was definitely his strongest quality: he could not help but want to know what she looked like in the real life.

When the silence became too much long, however, he raised an eyebrow «Fura-chan? If you don't like the idea it's ok, don't be mad at me!» he said playfully even though he could feel his chest tighten with nervousness, knowing she would say no in a matter of seconds «s-sorry...I...I was looking at my agenda» she blurted with shaky voice «I don't know if...if I can, my working hours are...a little special» she murmured «the only free time I have is after midnight...I don't know if...» she tried to explain, but Aoi stopped her immediately «I wouldn't sleep anyway, I assure you...I'm kinda the classic nightly owl and being the only one still up at three in the morning is boring» insisted, starting to hoping for a yes.

Aoi took the cigarette from his lips while hearing the girl shut up again, probably thoughtful, and put it out in the ashtray near him, pressing then his back against the bars of the railing of the stairs, moving a little also his legs to stay more comfy «Listen...I can't see my clients, is something off limits...» she started with insure voice «but...I could imagine your puppy eyes while you beg me to see eachother so...» pondered before lashing out a sigh «ok, but only one hour: from midnight to one o'clock» bargained in the end and Aoi made a wide smile, clutching his free hand into a victory fist for few seconds «tell me where and I'll be there» chimed happily, gaining back a soft, amused laugh from Flaminia «under the Tokyo Tower, okay? if you se a fatty with liliac hair, it's me» giggled her and Aoi snorted a laugh «and I'll be the only jerk in black with sunglasse in the middle of the night» he joked.

At that moment, a small hot gush rushed from his chest up to his throat, when the now sincere laugh of Flaminia could be heard from the smartphone «you're not a jerk! You're just a very reserved man» she interjected like she was defending the guitarist from his own words and after few other words, she was the first to put an end to their conversation «see you this night, Yukkun» she whispered softly «see you tonight, Fura-chan» he replied, making his voice tremble against the microphone of the cellphone, hearing her closing the call with a deep sigh that emptied completely her lungs.

Aoi was excited like a kid on his first date, how stupid was that?

He was thirtyfive years old, damn it, he couldn't be so naive to let his own heart skip a beat to the thought that he would finally meet up with a girl he barely knew the name.

With insecure fingers he clung the railing standing up, watching the road under his feet one last time, before returning into the building, walking along the hallway with a more calm, almost boldly pace than before.

The guitarist ignored Reita's puns and Kai's astonished questions about his sudden happiness, walking towards the recording room.


	6. When life gives you Bishies

Flaminia rolled on her back and looked up at the ceiling of ther bedroom, holding the smartphone against her chest she could feel throbbing violently.

She should've refused the invitation, she knew that she could risk another bad treatment like the one of two weeks before...but the man's voice was too strong lure and like a sailor she drowned to that charming siren.

She smiled narrowing her eyes with excitement, rocking from side to side for few seconds, before jumping on her feet.

She went looking inside her closet, searching for an outfit that could improve her confidence and, of course, hide the bruises she still had on her forearms.

The one on her face was vaguely gone, with a little of make-up it would completely disappear.

Flaminia took in her hands a black sweatshirt with white alchemical symbols on both front and back, a quite puffed liliac skirt and a pair of dark leggings which were printed like skeleton legs.

She put the clothes on her bed, aligning them well on top of each other and taking her phone she threw herself towards the bathroom, making a quick shower only interrupted by the call of one of those 'premium costumers.

She spoke willingly with the man, despite the fact that he wanted one of the hottest call that she could make.

The happiness in Flaminia's heart didn't falter, on the contrary it was so much that at the end of the call the client thanked her for that extra-passionate treatment he received and the girl continued with her grooming, combing her hair and styling them carefully, making them more voluminous than usual.

Eventually, when the clock finally marked 23:50, Flaminia took her phone from the bed where she launched it before and she dressed up quickly, coming out the apartment with a slow run down the stairs.

Her platform shoes made a quick clop-clop on the street when she started to run faster, looking up at the Tokyo Tower in the distance, completely wrapped in red and white lights.

Her heart was beating wildly, while she was passing buildings and people on the sidewalk, and with heavy breath she reached the base of the tower, looking around in search of the black shape of the man, seeking him out in the light crow.

Flaminia started to walk round the feet of the tower, passing through the people with a bit of doubt, fearing to have just got a Heisman on the date «konbawa--» she heard slightly above her ear, with that husky, smoky voice of his and when the girl turned aroud she was almost face to face with the man she had spoken to for so long, looking at him for the first time.

Real and physical.

He was right, the man was dressed all in black, but nothing that wouldn't hide that well-built physique, with broad shoulders and solid arms, due maybe to the kind of job he had.

The line of his neck was elegant, crossed by a ruined, silvery and wavy necklace, while his face was partly hidden by a large pair of sunglasses that he whorn to make himself both recognizable and the contrary.

Flaminia stared at his lips, now stretched into a brilliant smile, noting how well chiseled they were, with that cupid's bow that seemed drawn by the Kami themselves.

Her eyes moved along his face, wandering on his high and soft cheekbones until she met his barely visible eyes behind the dark glasses, but she could see a comforting twinkle in his black irises «k-konbawa...» she mumbled, gripping her own hands in front of her, bowing her head to complete the greeting «it's a pleasure to see you, Yukkun» smiled at the end and her cheeks became even more rosy than they already were.

[...]

Aoi groomed himself meticulously, choosing the dark clothes he promised to the girl and while practicing in various greetings he wore a little of make-up, his hair still wet slicked back on his head.

When he put on his sunglasses before going out, he sighed nervously, wondering how many times he preferred to stop a possibile relationship to avoid the worst.

Why trying again?

Especially with a girl that could easily be just a little bit older than his own niece, more or less?

The afterthoughts started to become increasingly oppressive as he drove by the Tokyo Tower, parking not much far from it and looking down at his phone to check the time: he was half an hour early.

Aoi huffed lightly, tucking his hands into the pockets of his coat and began to walk in the vicinity of the tower, circling it with a slow pace.

He could feel his nervousness rising step after step until, in the distance, he could see lavander hair approaching the tower, running among the people and starting to search for him without seeing the guitarist.

Astonished, Aoi stopped to watch carefully the girl, studying every detail he could see from that distance: it certainly was not as thin as the many Japanese girls that he saw in the past, but her body softly chubby suggested sweetness and fluffiness in his mind, like a little plushie.

The clothes she wore emphasized her body type in a way that he could only define as 'kawaii' and although he couldn't see her eyes, he could feel her starting to get restless as she wasn't able to find him.

Speeding his pace he reached Flaminia, unable to stop or hide the small sneer born on his mouth and before he could bow placing his lips near her ear, Aoi took a deep breath «konbawa--» he exhaled and saw Flaminia tense for a couple of seconds.

She turned and eventually their eyes met, startling the guitarist in seeing how much large and round her chocolate irises were, behind her thick black-rimmed glasses.

They briefly reminded Aoi the sweet muzzle of one of those fawns that found shelter in one of those countryside shrines «is a pleasure to meet you, Yukkun» he looked at her while she was answering a bit embarrassed, hands running to hide now behind her back «the pleasure's all mine, Fura-chan» he spoke leaning forward, smiling calmly «you have plans for this client of yours, in this free hour?» he then asked with a little grin, watching her blush violently for few moments «I-...I haven't thought....we could just wander around here» proposed Flaminia looking at the tower while swaying back and forth on her heels.

Aoi nodded and slowly began to walk, waiting for the girl to follow him in what would become a full circle around the tower in less than half an hour «I'm intimidating you?» asked the man, when she became suddenly silent, but he received only a small, delicate laugh «no-no, it's...is easier via phone, you know» admitted her with a soft tone, looking down at the ground.

She then rose her eyes to meet his face «and I was right...you're beautiful just as much as your voice» chuckled then, looking Aoi embarrassed for that sentence «only because I groomed myself decently for the event» he retorted «you should see me first thing in the morning» joked, still with his hands in the pockets, feeling the girl starting to walk closer to him «and in any case, you're not too bad too» uttered to her while turning his face to look at her, finding Flaminia already eyeing him.

The man looked into her chocolate-colored irises, big and shiny more than he could have expected and with keen eye noticed a shadow near her temple, something that looked like a bruise although it was covered by make-up «you know...if you want a photo you have to pay...I'm still a famous guy» chuckled the guitarist with a little smirk, making her unleash a sincere and more relaxed laugh and Aoi looked her take a hand up to her lips «if I knew who you really are, I would search and find anything I wanted on Google, don't worry!» she snorted, giving him a little nudge with her elbow against his side, before stopping on her feet with the other arm on her stomach.

Flaminia's alreay rosy cheeks started to flare up when a low growl came from her insides «midnight snack?» Aoi suggested, rising an eyebrow, watching her smile now more nervous «I...forgot to eat dinner tonight...so...what about taking this date to the nearest cafe?» she proposed awkwardly and the guitarist rolled his eyes with still a little smile on his lips.  
When they both started to walk toward one of the still open little restaurants near the tower, he turned his head to look the girl «is normal for you to forget to eat?» asked almost ironically: looking at the pudgy built of Flaminia, it seemed strange that she could innocently 'forget' dinner.  
The young woman felt deeply embarassed for that question and diverted her gaze from the man to the nearest shop window, looking down to the various fake cakes and crepes in plain display «I had some calls while getting ready and...well...it's a job that takes away loads of attention» Flaminia then looked back at his chaperone for that night, her expression now more neutral with a hint of melancholy «you do what you have to do to survive...but what can a celebrity like you know?» she teased him at the end, trying to make a more warm smile «let the vip know more then...making me pay for dinner could be a nice lesson» he grinned back, a mischievous smirk that made Flaminia's heart jump up on the top of her head.

Throughout the evening they had playfully squabbled about who would pay for that delicious food and in the end they agreed on make fifty-fifty on the bill, live civilian beings.

Both of them happily munched down on what they ordered -strawberry and cream crepes for her, coffee cream for him- and when they exited the cafe after paying, Flaminia heard her phone start ringing.

The color completely disappeared from her cheeks «oh shi-....s-sorry, I need to take it» she mumbled, biting her lips in a clear sign of not wanting to leave the man so soon.

Aoi simply shrugged, opening the door for her «Job is job, right? Go ahead, I'll wait» he winked and while she moved few meters away to take the call, he took out a cigarette, lighiting it with a slick move of the lighter and blowing the smoke softly.

His eyes never stopped to follow her, seeing her hands clutch at the smartphone, he then moved his gaze along her body: from the violet color of the short hair on her nape, his black eyes slithered along her shoulder and her back, watching for a few seconds her backside with a little amused snort.

His pupils rose again up along the girl's body, seeing another bruise on the arm that was holding the phone to her ear, the forearm left almost bare because of the large sleeve.

Those dark marks where barely visible, but Aoi's sharp eyes could recognize sigs of big fingers tightened around her flesh just above her elbow: that sight made him frown as he inhaled the smoke again, releasing it from the corner of his lips.

His thoughts became slightly more gloomy, wondering who had the guts to hit a girl and especially if it was right to tell her to warn the police about it «thank you for choosing me this evening-- pass a good night Shocchan!» chirped Flaminia while was walking back to the guitarist and after she stopped the call, she let out a big sigh «sorry, I fear that my break is over» she apologized «and the calls' will be really frequent from now on» added with now a sad puppy expression and Aoi smiled softly «as you said, it's your job. If you're busy, I can take you home» spoke calmly and he noticed the indecision fill her big and round eyes.


	7. Finish her!

Flaminia heard the man's question and suddenly she felt her heart start beating at a soundbreaking speed: partly for the emotion, partly out of fear «ah...n-no no, thanks, I live around here, it'll be a short walk» she sputtered, lowering her gaze for a couple of seconds «it's not that I don't trust you...!» added in a soft voice, feeling the pressure of the watchful eyes of the guitarist.

Then a little idea shone in the back of her mind.

Quickly she reached into the bag she brought with her and took out a small notepad all scribbled on the outside «listen, if you want to call me...use this number» bargained Flaminia, giving him a small piece of paper with a cellphone number written on it «if you reach me through the agency you're gonna pay more for the calls, so...» she stopped her talk when, grasping the note, Aoi bent down to stroke her cheek with his lips with calibrated slowness «I'll surely call» he breathed into her ear, before making a small sneer «so, hear ya again, Fura-chan. Thank you for the lovely evening» he added, turning on his heels to walk off, moving his hand with still the paper between his fingers in a smooth greeting.

Aoi then disappeared into a shiny black car, parked on the other side of the plaza where they were walking from the start of the date.

Flaminia stood there, motionless, one hand that was slowly covering her just-kissed cheek, feeling a tight squeeze in her chest.

The young woman ran immediately to her apartment, closing herself in panting, her heavy breath that was moving her chest up and down.

She felt an intense stab on her sternum and when she started to take off her shoes to walk more into her flat, she remembered the man's warm breath against her ear, his low, clear voice and like he branded her with fire, that kiss was still burning gently on her skin.

Flaminia quickly headed to her bed and jumped on it taking her pillow in her arms, rolling on the mattress for few seconds, letting out a small yelp into the pillow she was squeezing to her chest «I'm an idiot...getting excited like this for...someone that I don't even know...» she whispered looking at the ceiling, before letting out a deep sigh with a big smile on her face: better than the same routine, she agreed to her thrilled self, at least the man made her feel a little of affection, even if superficial.  
While the phone started ringing in her purse, Flaminia prayed that it was him the one calling.

[...]

The next day, Aoi seemed more smiling than the usual and Reita approaced him with a sly smirk, placing both forearms on the friend's shoulders so that most of his own weight was on them «heyyyyya man, you're totally chill today!» he spoke while the guitarist rolled his eyes, snorting out a laugh «I slept well last night, nothing special» dodged the question, trying to escape the bassist's grasp, but Reita clung to him with his hands on Aoi's shoulders, starting to press him down «and you slept well because...?» asked again sneering widely «Ussan told to me that you left the pub earlier last night» the blond continued, forcing the guitarist to bend over backwards just a bit «I had a date, so what?» snarked Aoi just a little annoyed «I went out and when I came back I slept better than usual, I don't have to tell you every detail of my fucking life» ranted again, pinching him on the back of his left hand to be released from that grip.

Reita stepped back massaging his hand, then he put both of them on his own hips «if it was a romantic date, I'm obligated, as your friend, to want to know everything....also because it would be a miracle for you to have a date with a girl!» the bassist laughed, patting his lower back a couple of times «so tell me, how was she? A beautiful chick I guess...maybe of those tiny and delicate things, with long and shiny hair tied up in two narrow pigtails» Reita began to describe, moving his hands as if he was molding that imaginary girl out of thin air all while a small grin was born spontaneously on Aoi's face «nope...she was foreign, for a start» he chuckled, taking out a cigarette from the package between his fingers «a little shorter than me, short dyed hair, square black-rimmed glasses...huge chocolate eyes» described the guitarist, getting lost in the still fresh memories of the girl «really? Strange...I can't see you with a foreign...how was the armor, uh?» interrupted Reita, but the bassist was silenced by the quick sound of the lighter «kinda thick, but if you wanna know both front and back were very, very interesting» Aoi tightened the cigarette between his lips and with open arms started to gesture in the air in front of his chest, then just below his hips «holy fuck...if you get dumped I'll take your place! Sometimes the japanese girls are too flat for my tastes» breathed the blondie, blushing slightly with excitement.

At that moment, while Aoi was raising his hand to take the cigarette from his lips, Kai appeared in the dressing room with a small smile «what are you gossiping about, housewives? We need to review the set-list one last time, c'mon! Move your cute asses!» chuckled the leader, before arching his eyebrows seeing Reita so agitated «I'll explain later...» murmured Aoi passing near the drummer, followed by a most embarassed bassist, his hand on the back of his head.

Once on the stage, Aoi moved his fingers towards his battered guitar and grabbed the belt wearing it on one shoulder, feeling again the familiar form under his hands and in his palms.

How would it feel to embrace that girl? From what he could see the night before, she gave him the impression to be warm and soft like one of those otaku's bodypillow, but maybe it was just her chubby built, totally different from the thread-like one that he was so used to see in other girls?

She wasn't fat or obese, but definitely had many more curves than a thin Japanese girl...she was like his own guitar, where the lower part was wider and gently curved.

While Aoi was playing some notes as warm-up, he moved his right hand on the profile of his instrument with a faraway gaze in his eyes, imagining to caress her side, dropping slowly down closer to her full thighs «I'll let you fap alone with your guitar, if you want» snickered Ruki while passing near him, a small grin on his lips.

Uruha started to laugh breathless, from the other side of the stage «fuck you shorty» snorted Aoi with an amused tone, rousing himself from his reverie «he's just practicing for the fans, we're not all divas like you!» sang Reita curling up in a ball while laughing, getting kicked a couple of times from the provoked singer.

The guitarist laughed at the scene, but his mind didn't stop smashing around that thought and, excusing those ideas with ideas like 'I'm still a man', he focused on the set-list for the next concert.

He promised to himself that he would call later the number she gave him, asking to see each other again during that week.


	8. Dim Scene

They meet three more times, at the base of Tokyo Tower and the laps around it grew longer and longer each time they would see each other.

Flaminia knew that the more time she passed with the man, the more she felt light and calm, at ease...but also that she was more and more risking of come across her father's anger.

She was taking advantage of every break she had to meet him and those dates began to occur earlier and earlier: from midnight to eleven thirty, eleven o'clock, to half past ten.

Every time they were both attracted early at their usual place «didn't you tell me that your break was later in the evening?» asked Aoi while they were walking slowly one next to the other, just a few inches away «yeah, but...tonight I wasn't that busy so...I decided to take a break earlier, why?» she turned to stare the dark, shiny eyes in the man's face, her cheeks blushing slightly «I don't want you to get into troubles at your work because of me» he shrugged, looking down at her.

With relief he noted that the bruise from her face was finally gone, but he thought that new ones appeared just above her collarbone, hidden clumsily by her scarf.

Taking a deep breath, Aoi thrusted his hand into his double-breasted coat's pocket, pulling out a white, unmarked envelope «tomorrow afternoon at six we'll have a concert...you want and can, pass by to see us» hinted while handing the envelope that Flaminia took between her fingers in amazement «...a concert?» she gaped with a huge smile that slowly grew on her lips «sometimes we have extra tickets for friends and acquaintances and since I'm a lone wolf...This one would be wasted» joked the guitarist, sinking again his hands in his pocket, now visibly embaressed.

His dark eyes stared the girl take the ticket from inside the envelope, looking at it on the front then on the back «Oh my Kami...» hissed Flaminia, noting not only the name where they would exhibit, but also the seat number and the words 'backstage' «T-Tokyo Dome?? You'll play at Tokyo Dome?!» she blurted out while moving her chocolate gaze to him, a beaming expression on her face «you guys must be so good then!! And...backstage?» she added, lowering her eyes again on the ticket.

Aoi laughed slightly, he didn't expected such a reaction: she seemed like a frantic child and the fact that she didn't know his band made him feel a little better.

You never know might date you for your fame or your moneney «it means that you can come to the backstage after the concert...so I can take you home» he spoke, seeing her stop her walking standing still behing him.

Aoi went on for a few steps away from her, before turning around to stare at her «Tokyo Dome is quite far away from this zone and the concert will finish during rush hour...so...» he almost tried to excuse his own idea, approaching here with a slow pace «if you want of course, you're not forced to--» he fell silent when he felt the impact against his chest, her arm that was holding him around his waist while the other was curled up between them.

Flaminia tightened the grip on the ticket against her heart and around the slim built of the man: she didn't expected a gift from him and the mixture of excitement and fear was so overwhelming that made her realize how alone she was, after all.

She was so happy that her chest was hurting «you just needed to tell me, that you liked it» Flaminia heard him chuckle right above her right ear and Aoi, slowly, wrapped his arms around her soft figure remaining in silence, feeling her small laugh-mixed sobs warming up the fabric of his black coat.

As he imagined, holding her was like embracing a big, cuddly pillow, that in that moment was trembling from head to toe «is...b-better for me to...to go home now and...and see what I can do...so I can come see you» finally whispered Flaminia, closing her eyes and carefully passing her fingers under them to remove the fairly smugded make-up.

She felt the man's arms hover around her waist for a few seconds, holding her against him, before feeling them relax and release the grip «go then» he uttered with a small but genuine smile that the girl swore she never saw on his face before «see you tomorrow» concluded Aoi, taking her hand in his own, leaning in to leave a gentle kiss on her cheek as usual.

What he didn't expect, however, was the rapid movement of Flaminia and before he could realize, his lips were resting on hers, both her arms knotted around his own neck.

Aoi's eyes widened in surprise and saw her lashes flutter softly while her closed shut eyelids barely blocked a couple of tears that coursed down her cheeks.

What seemed like an eternity were only a handful of seconds that could be counted on the fingers of one hand and Flaminia abruptly moved away from him, as if she just realized in that moment what she had done.

Aoi watched her staring at him wide-eyed and red-faced, before the girl turned on her heels running away down the road «fuck...» breathed the man rising a hand to his lips, he could still taste the saltiness of her tears and the naturally sweetiness of her mouth, the softness and despair that she poured into that kiss.

His heart jumped strongly in his throat and in an instant he felt a shard of panic in his chest: he couldn't fall in love, it was too early, too dangerous, pratically useless!

When Aoi closed himself into his car, he looked down at his palms while taking deep breaths, still feeling the shape of her body against his own.

Her scent, her hair against the jaw, the dark spots that her tears left on his coat.

The trembling of the girl's muscles...Aoi wondered whether it was for happiness or deep fear «...fuck» repeated now with a softer voice, clasping his hands on the wheel.

His eyebrows frowned in confusion, while his lips smiled again «I'm fucked...holy shit...» muttered taking the phone to start swyping a text to the leader of the band «I need to talk, get your ass off the bed» he wrote quickly, before starting up the vehicle.


	9. Panic! at the Drummer's

Kai yawned loudly as he approached the door of his apartment, squinting his eyes for a few moments «yaaawwn...I'm coming...» he said to the frantic knock that could be clearly hear and when the drummer opened up, he found Aoi in front of him, his coat off his shoulders and a heavy breath coming out of his open mouth «what happened?» Kai asked now completely awake and a little worried, looking his friend pass over him, taking off his shoes in the entrance and then take a few steps inside his flat «I'm fucked...fucked to the bone» the guitarist exhaled turning to gaze at Kai who, with a raised eyebrow, walked until his hands could grasp the shoulders of his friend «oi, calm down and breathe...let's go in the kitchen, I'll make you some tea» smiled the leader with his soft voice.

Aoi shook his head to that suggestion «give me a beer and it could be better» he spoke, breathing deeply a few times, exhaling heavily and feeling the panic decrease barely.

Both moved to the modest kitchen of the drummer, well in order and with a glossy fridge full of good ingredients «so? Tell me from the beginning...did you end up in some mess?» asked Kai, holding out to Aoi his coveted can of beer.

The guitarist sat down at the table and tightening the drink in his hand, nodded slowly «yakuza?» inquired Kai again and for a brief second Aoi let out a laugh «I'm not Kou, aren't I?» he chuckled nervously, opening the can with a sharp gesture «you...you remember Maiko?» asked, looking at the leader sit down in front of him, on the other side of the table and Kai nodded «yeah sure...don't tell me she's back! I thought she married someone» «no, it's much...much worse» the guitarist spoke gravely, but with a gentle smile on his face «I sworn myself that I wouldn't fall for it again...that with our job is impossibile to have a stable relationship...but I'm fucked again» Aoi took a long sip of beer, feeling it fizz on his tongue.

He saw Kai's eyes ask him to go on, while the drummer was in complete silence.

The guitarist put the can onthe table and raised his other arm, putting his fingers in his smooth and black hair «tonight was our fourth date and...I gave her one of those vip tickets that we have, you know...backstage and all the shit» he looked at the drummer's eyebrows rise a little more, astonished «don't look me like that, I don't want to get laid, not now...otherwise I would be with her in a love hotel, no?» Aoi continued with an exasperated sigh «we kissed and...was much much worse than Maiko» he gulped with insecure voice, taking the can to his lips for a few more sips.

As if alcohol could help him continue the discussion «my heart exploded, I can't afford another failure like last time...it would be the time I finally throw myself under a fucking train» he added, tightening his grip on the can making it creak.

Kai nodded slightly, with a serious expression «you can always stop it now, you're still on time» he advised, looking at his friend melt on the table with the chin on his arms «I can't...» Aoi whimpered softly, a mournful tone broke his voice «I'm neck-deep in this shit, I'm too much...smitten».

The guitarist straightened his back, finishing his beer with long gulps «she's...sweet, funny, apprehensive...fuck, last time it was raining and she brought an extra umbrella because she thought I had to walk home» he told more to the drummer «and...she's shy, but sometimes opens up and...I don't know Yutaka, I don't know what to do» Aoi started to play nervously with the empty can, crushing it more and more between his palms «I...genuinely feel the lack of that kind of relationship...Maiko ruined me, that bitch... I wasn't so desperate for love, once» whispered the guitarist.

Kai smiled, leaning forward and pressing his arms on the table «if you feel this good, maybe this time is the right time. You've grown so much compared to ten years ago, you're no longer a kid» began the drummer, with a little shrug.

Aoi sighed heavily «but our job don't allow me to have good relationships...leaving out messes with fans and gossip, what if something happens while we're on tour? If she cheats on me because I'm away? No, long-distance relationships sucks» he coldly said.

Kai chuckled again, shaking his head to that sentence «then don't complain if you're still single» the drummer reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder, gripping it gently «if you're more in love with this girl more than you ever loved Maiko, I suggest you to buy a ring and merry her within six months» he joked, noting a little flash of amusement in his friend's eyes «at least try, ok? Otherwhise why you dated her so much? Now, go lay on the couch, take a good nap and then go home and change up, tomorrow we have the reharsal early in the morning» the drummer stood up and after a couple of pats on Aoi's back, he headed in his own bedroom, disappearing in it for few minutes.

Aoi looked down at the can of beer now reduced to a small ball of metal and sighing he thought that, probably, his soul was crumpled up in the same way...he could feel it in his chest.

He could try again, hoping that this time would go all well, but he stil had a deep fear of the big love he felt and of the following immense pain he fallen into when that love broke in tiny pieces.

Aoi got up from the kitchen table, turned off the light of the room and after removing his jacket he went throw himself on Kai's sofa, in the little sitting room adjacent the kitchen «here goes, pillow and blankets for my desperate lover» Kai came back with what he had just announced, placing everything on the couch to create a small bed «after a good night of sleep, you'll have a clearer mind. Goodnight!» the drummer yawned again at the end, going to bed.

The guitarist then was alone, with eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling for at least two hours before he could start to feel drowsy.


	10. Shining Star

The next day, Flaminia arrived running in front of the gates of the immense Tokyo Dome, looking at it with a heavy breath that slipped away from her open and smiling mouth.

She could't believe it, she managed to get that free time with little promises and nothing more. She feared that her father would stop her, but in the end he just agreed to let the daughter go out only if she would do exactly what he would might say that late evening.

The young lady clutched the ticket against her chest, looking at the long line waiting for the doors to open and, intimidated, she approached it noting that two signs divided the line in 'Standard' and 'VIP Pass' «Ahhhh I can't wait to get in!» Flaminia could hear some girl moan and an entire group of high-schoolers passed her almost shoving her aside and ignoring her presence «YES! Ruki's voice is pure orgasm!» «orgasm are Uruha's thighs! Don't bullshit me!» «I just care about Reita! That fly-boy's training those arms well, did you see them??».

All those gossips made Flaminia giggle, though with a bit of sadness she admitted that she really would want a friend to speak at that same way, but lining in the VIP section she found out that the waiting was less longer than she feared.

One of the staff's guys took her ticket, ripped part of it and wished her a good evening with a friendly smile that could only bring more happiness in the girl's heart.

Flaminia headed to the front row, searching for the numbered seat that was written on her ticket and she found it left-most side of the stage, where she could see a black-scaled guitar placed by the enormous speakers on the stage.

Some girls next to her cried out pointing at the right side of the stage and moving her head, Flaminia saw a man with a white strip of fabric on his face walk in the darkness of the backstage.

He rose an arm to say hello to the fans before disappearing again «AHHHHHH REITAAAAHH!!» shouted some fangirls in a perfect chorus, hormones going crazy for that man.

In fact, that guy had a nice physical appearance and he seemed to have an handsome face, even though it was masked by his blonde locks and the bandage on the nose «Awwww why isn't starting??» complained someone «it's late? What time is it?» another asked and Flaminia looked down to her cellphone.

Five and fifty-eight, another two minutes and it would be six o'clock...the more the girl watched the seconds pass, the more she felt the adrenaline swelling her veins.

In the end, sall of a sudden, the lights went out creating havoc in the room now full of hardcore fans and while the first light on the stage were lit, Flaminia's eyes looked at the giant screen on the far back of the stage, the band's name flashing in large and blocky letters.

[...]

Aoi was nervously stuck to his test guitar, in the backstage, trying again and again his pieces without stopping, concentrating every cell of his body in reach the perfection.

None of his friends knew of the possible presence of a special person for him in the public, except for Kai, but the leader was far from saying anything to anyone, too focused on the success of the concert.

Reita stood up from the couch in the common room to go take a peek to the fans and, coming back, he had a huge grin on his face «holy fuck it's almost a sold out! There are two empty chairs near the exits, but I think those gals got a cold!» he laughed while stretching his back and Uruha took one of the bottle of white wine sent as gift by the sponsors «Filling Tokyo Dome...shit, we should celebrate! Aoi-san, you brought your lobsters?» asked the colleague guitarist to the man who, hearing his name, lifted his head from his lowered stance, his lips still tight around the cigarette «Uh? Ah, no. I didn't bring it» he said in a serious tone, before returning to a particularly difficult part of his solo, that always gave him problems in the past «...chill as fuck, eh?» whispered Reita ironically, looking at Ruki go sitting on the other couch, in a religious silence and with his legs crossed «you shouldn't fuck around, you know?» the nervous guitarist started to scold them, before hearing Kai call them all.

A brief meeting, their usual lucky ritual before the concerts and then they were off, appeared on stage in complete darkness one by one and a thunderous applause hit them, seasoned with screams and chants from everywhere.

Aoi felt himself again in his habitat, in front of those thousands of people, and when he reached to the neck of his precious guitar, he felt the nervousness slip away from his shoulders like rainwater: the adrenaline that was frying the air around him was the one for which he had fought hard, until he got where he wanted to be.

He started to play following the set-list, the drums on his left, Reita's bass that sometimes got his back vibrate with its music, the low and melodic voice of Ruki that enveloped and united all their notes together, that music composed with hard work a lot of time poured on the audience.

Aoi's eyes, however, began to move in the front lines of the public, directly behind the hurdles, and mentally started to count the seats: A4, A6, A8, A10.

He couldn't remember exactly what number was on the ticket, but he knew it was one of those.

After a pirouette and a shrug of the arm, he moved closer to the edge of the stage and there, lit up for a short time by one of the spotlights that never stopped moving, he saw a liliac flash among the public.

She was there in front of him a couple of feet away, her huge chocolate eyes staring at him like a deity descended on the earth, her hands clinging on the railing of the barriers and her body froze still despite around her there were young people possessed by the music, head-banging hard and quick.

The familiar, but forgotten, warm gush spilled in his chest, when their eyes bound together and Aoi's face couldn't help but light up, his heart beating faster and harder, like it wanted to jump out of his ribcage.

He returned to his place on the stage, as if nothing happened, but the grin didn't stop even for a moment to adorn his beautifully contoured lips, remaining until the concert finished.

The songs followed one another as intended, every note in the right place, both on his part and on his friends' one, and when also the encore was finally over, all of them tired and covered in sweat, the guitarist was the first to go to the backstage, gulping down long sips of water while patting his face with the towel the staff member gave him.

C'mon hurry up, Aoi was thinking like he was talking to the girl, I'm waiting for you, hurry up...! «ahh...ahh...it was...fucking amazing...!» Reita exhaled passing near him, patting him on the back «you gave your best out there...I've never saw you...soooo focused!» said Uruha with a satisfied smile.

Aoi grinned at both nodding with his head, but immediately ignored them when he heard the dressing room's door open up, only to reveal Kai.

The hoping guitarist began to feel the first signs of depression come from the back of his mind: she didn't want to go to the backstage? What if she was already gone with the rest of the audience? Maybe she had problems with the pass? «Oh, Aoi-kun» said Ruki's voice when the singer opened the door «there's someone looking for you here» he added pointing behind his shoulders and quickly Aoi stood up, leaving the room like a rocket in front of his friends.

Finally she was there, a little messy but he could see her lit up by the dying lights of the sunset and not by the neon light of the street lamps at midnight and a quarter «hi» she greeted softly, intimidated by the gaze that the band fixed on the couple «you're all...really good» Flaminia said, looking at Aoi's face, a little bit destroyed by the fatigue and the sweat «and...well...the make-up artists did a gread job» she tried to break the tension that continued to grow as the glances of the rest of the band became more and more intense.

Aoi moved his hand and he closed fast the door behind him, so he could stay alone with her in the hallway of the backstage «thank you, I'm...happy you liked it» he replied to Flaminia, dropping both of them in a heavy silence for short, but embarrassed seconds «it was...magnificent» she added, torturing her own fingers in her hands «this was my first concert but...fuck it, I never heard anyone play like that! And you were so taken by the music...I don't know...you were pure light» Flaminia continued to talk, starting to relax again in the presence of the guitarist, who shook his head with a small smile «If you continue to talk like that, I'll be forced to have you removed from the backstage, you're embarrassing me» he talked with a hand raised to scratch the back of his neck, before looking at her «do you...want to go home?» Aoi asked, pointing at the end of the corridor to their right, where there were their private parking.

Flaminia remained indecisive for a few seconds, before nodding «yes, if I don't disturb any plans of you guys» she replied, looking at the door now again open behind Aoi's shoulders «Oi! You're blocking the passage! If you wanna have fun, I have the address of a really nice love hotel» giggled Reita and Flaminia, raising an eyebrow, gazed at him blinking «What's up, something on his face?» joked Aoi, getting slapped on the arm from the bassist «Aki-chan?» whispered the girl staring at Reita, who immediately blushed violently.

He recognized that voice and that nickname, even too much quickly «oh fuck!» the red-faced blond widened his eyes before turning to Aoi and then again looking at the girl «ehm...hello...? I didn't know he...you...dated, if I did I wouldn't...y'know...» Reita started to stammer in the general panic and Flaminia giggled «It's ok, don't worry. I'm bound by professional secrecy» reassured him with a finger on her lips, seeing the bassist relax at that sentence.

The guitarist, on his side, moved slowly towards the girl as if he wanted to put himself between her and Reita: he knew well enough his friend to be sure he was more desperate than him in finding a girlfriend «I'll have to call someone else for my own...ehm...needs» spoke the bassist, at some point «ohh lookie, he's already on defensive-mode!» laughed Reita gazing at Aoi, who was already pouting with his arms crossed on his chest «work is work, Aki-chan» Flaminia raised her hand and stealthily put her palm against Aoi's back «and even if I wanted to, I couldn't fire myself...maybe you could listen to my other colleagues, Number Two may be perfect for you» she joked sending a wink to the blond bassist, feeling the guitarist's body pressing lightly against her hand «but now I need to go home, I have an appointment tonight» Flaminia said softly, pulling away from both men.

She was smiling a little embarrassed, her naturally rosy cheeks flushed with more color «and...my escort is waiting for me, right?» added looking Aoi in his dark eyes, seeing them light up for a few seconds, erasing from their dephts the pressing jealousy he seemed to show with other men around, whether they were friends or foes.

Reita chuckled and nodded, pushing his friend towards the girl, before heading on the other side of the hallway, where the bathrooms where «sorry» exhaled Flaminia, when she and Aoi were finally alone.

Astonished buy the sudden change of tone of her voice, Aoi turned and raised a questioning eyebrow «with others around...I get all flirty. Professional deformation, I'm afraid» Flaminia murmured, shrugging «but it was nice to have a personal samurai for thirty seconds» a small, sheepish smile appeared on her lips.

Flaminia reached out her hand, lightly touching his fingers, feeling them softer than she thought, oddly soft for a guitarist anyway.

Aoi gently sighed and relaxed his muscles, wrapping her hand in his own palm, delicately «c'mon, I'll take you home» he said with a calm tone in his husky voice.

Once in his car, silence fell between the two except for the music coming out the radio at a low volume and only halfway through the journey Flaminia started a little conversation «it's obvious you like that...play the guitar» she whispered looking at the car's dashboard, her voice tinted with awkwardness.

Aoi gazed at her for just a moment, before putting his eyes again on the road in front of them, tightening his hands around the steering wheel «really?» he smirked lightly and the girl nodded «you hold your guitar in your hands as if it's the most precious thing in the world» Flaminia spoke while re-living the most salient moments of the concert, seeing them with the eyes of the fresh memory «as if it was just yourself and the music, alone on the stage. It's nice to see someone so immersed in their passion, but...» Flaminia's voice broke a little and the speech she was doing just died there.

Her hands pressed together, lacing her fingers as she stared out the window «but? Don't keep me on my toes like that» Aoi chuckled softly, as to encourage her to open to him a little more, but he only got a quiet smile as a reply «we're arrived, my home is that way» she dodged the question, pointing to a side street that diverged from the main avenue.

Aoi parked near the sidewalk, switched off the engine and stood motionless in front of the steering wheel, waiting for her to get off the car...but Flaminia didn't move, she also stood on the passenger seat gazing down at her lap «this...was the second most beautiful day of my life...» she blushed harshly, with just a whisper.

The guitarist turned to look at her, seeing her starting to undo her seat belt «thank you» murmured Flaminia raising her right hand to open the car door, but Aoi's fingers stretched out to take her left wrist, pulling her back and leaning in for a kiss.

For the second time his lips touched hers, this time in a less rushed and more deep way, his chest tightening for the contact.

Aoi had planned that kiss for the whole encore, even if he expected it to happen in a different place and situation, but in the end the feeling was the same as the first time.

Flaminia, on the other hand, got blown away by that touch and being more aware than the previous evening, managed to fully enjoy that sudden effusion: the shape of his lips against her own, the taste of nicotine and the scent of his cologne, his long hair that swiftly brushed against her cheek when he leaned over her.

She couldn't stop her hands and slowly they slithered over his shoulders, embracing him while she was responding shyly to the kiss, eyes closed shut and both their hearts starting to beat fast in their ribcages.

Flaminia felt then Aoi's body slowly retreat while he was stopping the kiss and the girl, still in the middle of those sensations, chased him kissing his mouth another time, faster and softer this time «I...I have to...to...go» she stuttered, her arms still around his neck «I'm awaited...yes...» whispered Flaminia a few millimeters away from his face.

With a faint smile, Aoi nodded touching gently her foreheard with his own «go...I'll call you» he promised with a sincerely glad tone and the two split up, each heading to their own apartment, both with their hearts doubled in size that slammed inside their chests in a never-ending love storm.


	11. Exactly as I said...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I took so much to update this one!!  
> I got better at writing in English now, especially after my other fic "Master of Puppet" and now I can translate these a little better!
> 
> Also I'm going to re-write the previous ten chapters once this is completed so I'll not cringe when I'll read them eventually xDD
> 
> Thank you and enjoy your reading~

Flaminia climbed the apartment’s stairs with oh so light steps, humming one of the songs she heard at the concert and that she fell in love with.

She took her home keys in her hand, but then she saw the door already open and the dark figure of her father standing in front of the door frame. “Welcome back” the man said with a strangely calm tone and Flaminia started to feel cold sweat roll down her spine.

She heard unknown voices came from the little living room and her chocolate eyes darted towards the parent. “I hope you had your fun… because you’re going to work from now on” her father spoke with a frigid, sharp smile.

He then grasped the back of her neck and guided her towards the living room: three men were sitting around the coffee table, laughing and talking.

They had few empty glasses in front of them, along with almost-empty alcohols’ bottles and the pungent odor of sake prickled her nose. “Gentlemen, finally my daughter managed to honor us with her presence!” her father spoke to them with a cheerful voice and the three of them planted their eyes on the girl.

Flaminia slowly bowed in front of them, she had to maintain the appearance right? It was paid work, only in person instead through a phone… “Good evening sirs–” “This evening I invited all of you to get your beloved Number Five here with you live!” her father interrupted her, the hold on her tightening.

He looked at her with such a cold, hard stare that she couldn’t do anything but stare down at her feet. “And she’ll do anything you ask of her… but nothing that could compromise her voice, mind you” her father chuckled and one of the men stood up, approaching.

Flaminia’s father shoved the girl right into the stranger’s arms, that tightened around her while giving off a low, raspy laugh. “Mister Kennedy, your offer is outstanding! You surely are a really good businessman!” the man chuckled.

Flaminia felt the thorn of panic form inside her chest: what they were saying? Offer…?

Suddenly a new pair of hands landed on her shoulders, groping her without warnings. “W-wait, what…??” she tried to escape those big bruising fingers, but someone grabbed her and pushed her on the coffee table.

Flaminia then heard his father laugh off her panicky whimpers. “You thought I would overstep this little vacation of yours? You’ll never learn the worth of money if you’ll continue to skip work” her parent said with a matter-of-fact tone. “Especially with the sums we paid for this!” one of the three man added.

Other laughs, invasive hands, slimy tongues, heavy breathes took her wonderful day and ripped it into pieces, teared away from her heart like they all did with her clothes, holding her down like a sacrificial lamb.

She cried for help, turning her head toward his father, but her eyes widened when she saw him sitting on her little couch, counting money with a smug on his face. “You know, darling, I should give you more day-offs! I earned more this evening than in a month of your work” he snorted softly, placing the money in his suit’s pocket.

The girl tried to call to him anyway, but the hand she darted towards him got caught by one of those men. “Oh I bet she’s so tight!” someone grinned. “Don’t take her all for yourself!” “Yeah, sharing is caring~” someone else chanted.

They felt so happy to be there, to sink their palms on her body and in her hair, pulling and pushing, ripping her in half while holding on her legs.

She wasn’t happy, at all.

~ ~ ~

Aoi came home happier than he ever felt for some time, slumping down on the couch with a satisfied sigh.

Years has passed since he felt something like that and the only moments he could just brush that feeling with his fingers, it was when he was caressing his guitar on the stage.

The guitarist remember saying to Kai he “was fucked” but in that moment he only felt blessed by Kami for this new chance at have some decent love life.

Aoi took his cellphone in between his finger, staring at the number and the name he longed for, then he dialed it even if he saw that girl just half an hour before.

He took the phone at his ear, closing his eyes to bask in the memories of their kisses in his car, at her words before and Aoi asked himself what could possibly be the most wonderful day she censored to him.

His inner questions were shattered by the robotic voice mail that interruped the long beeps of the call. “The number you have dialed is not available at the moment, please try again later” Aoi rose an eyebrow, looking down again at the screen of his phone.

It was odd, maybe she fell asleep?

Afterall he was the only one that could stay up even after a fucking concert, his insomnia hitting harder when he was pumped with adrenaline.

Passing a couple of hours between Twitter and a group-chat on Line with Rei and Ruki, Aoi finally collapsed on the couch’s cushions, sleeping so heavy he didn’t even notice when a stray ray of sun entered his living room from the big windows, hitting his face like a punch.

When he finally opened his eyes it was early afternoon and the first thing he did was calling the girl back again, like the usual good-morning-calls they always had, but again, her cellphone was turned off or not covered by signal.

Maybe her phone died and she was charging it back? He knew few people that liked to have their phones powered off while charging, but she didn’t feel like one of ‘those people’, so…

Aoi sadly stood up from the couch, scratching his side and popping a couple of his vertebrae in the process, then he walked towards his bathroom to do a quick shower, change in more decent clothes and get out to buy his most precious fuel: a nice cup of coffee as black as his soul.

He was half-way through his morning routine when the phone started to ring, emitting a melancholic music. “Ah, fuck…!” Aoi breathed while he was pulling up a pair of dark jeans and quickly he snatched the cellphone from the nightstand.

He accepted the call without even looking at the number and when he heard Flaminia’s voice on the other side of the calling, a little smile popped on Aoi’s face. “Good morning Yukkun~! Sorry my phone died tonight and I just woke up” she spoke with a little tiredness in her tone “…uhm… I didn’t interrupt anything, yes?” she then asked a little worried.

Aoi looked up at the big mirror inside his closet, seeing his own image reflected: he still had his hair up in a messy bun, the shirt he was going to wear bundled around his neck and the dark jeans still open on the front showed a pair of flashy boxers, hot pink and electric blue.

He chuckled softly into the phone. “Naaa, I was going to get breakfast” he blocked little device between his ear and shoulder, going to zip up his trousers before they could fall to his ankles. “If you’re free now, wanna come with me? My treat” Aoi chirped with a little grin on his lips.

In that moment, he heard the girl’s breath hiccup for just a second in the deep silence she fell in. “I… w-wait ok?” she stuttered and Aoi heard muffled sounds in the background.

The girl’s voice and a male one spoke to each other.

The guitarist couldn’t make out everything from what he was hearing, but he could intercept tension, almost fear in her distant voice.

Suddenly some clacking sounds warned him the phone was picked up again in the owner’s hand. “Hello? Yeah I can go out today! Under the Tower as always?” he heard her nervousness through the happy-go-lucky tone she was using and immediately Aoi’s instinct kicked in.

Who was the guy she talked with? The one she probably asked if she could get out? Her boss maybe?

Aoi shook his head, trying to erase the strange eerie feeling he had in his chest and confirmed the place of their meeting. “I’ll take you in my favorite place, ok?” he resumed to dress himself up, checking himself out in the mirror once he finished: he wanted to look handsomely casual for that day, afterall. “It’s really cute even if it’s a little far away, but I think you’ll like it–” “Take me wherever you want” she breathed with a more soft tone, almost dreamy “I’ll wait for you, then”.

With that phrase the call ended and Aoi looked at the phone thrilled and a little excited, like he never stopped to be in those days.

Hiding his phone in the front pocket of his jeans, Aoi grabbed quickly his leather jacket, his car’s key and walked out of his apartment, trotting down the stairs to get into the underground garage.

He made a mental note on ask Flaminia who was the man she spoke to, then he got on his car and drove around the chaotic roads of Tokyo, the route already memorized in his brain.

Aoi parked not too far away from the Tokyo Tower, both his arms leaned on the wheel while he watched the plaza through the windscreen of the car in search of her form, but it took around half an hour before he could spot her lilac hair among white-collars and tourists.

Aoi studied her in that moment, seeing a microscopic limp interrupt her jog towards the car, noticing her tired face even with the make-up on.

The guitarist powered on the car’s engine when she opened the car door and he couldn’t stop a little smile to appear on his face. “G’mornin–!” as she already did in the past, Flaminia silenced him with a big hug, squeezing his chest with her arms.

She was heaving for the run, her chest puffing out every time her lungs filled up with air. “So…rry…” she panted, face planted against his shoulder. “I… took… a lot… to get… here…” her shivering body started to relax by the second and Aoi rolled his eyes.

He proceeded to wrap an arm around her shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “It’s alright, don’t worry” he whispered sweetly to her.

Flaminia just melted against him after that sentence and stood there, breathing in his wonderful scent and the warmth that seeped through his clothes.

Only after roughly a minute she backed off, straightening her back. “So… where you wanted to take me?” Flaminia asked while putting on her seatbelt.

Aoi grinned widely caressing the wheel of the car. “Ohhh you’ll see! It has the best coffee on this side of the city” he told her all excited. “And there are some pretty good cakes too… it might sound strange, but I’m a sucker for sweets” he chuckled, eyes fixed on the road.

Aoi then slowed down, stopping at a traffic light and only there, in the pure silence in the vehicle, he bit the inside of his cheek. “Listen… I don’t wanna sound creepy, but is just to know if you’re alright… who was the guy you talked to–?” he turned to look up at her and, surprised, he saw the girl fallen into a deep slumber.

Her head was softly leaned against the window and her body finally relaxed under the seatbelt. “I’ll ask later…” Aoi whispered to himself, moving his palm from the stick shift to her cheekbone.

The guitarist slowly caressed away one of those pastel locks, trapping it behind her ear so he could look better at her face: his first knuckles brushed against the line of her jaw and there Aoi thought she was really as tired as she looked.

Why, though? Maybe some costumer called her mid-night and after the intense day at the concert she surely accused more the lack of sleep.

When the traffic light turned green, Aoi smiled while going back to driving.

She really was cute in her sleep, like a puppy.


	12. Most important meal of the day

Flaminia didn’t even noticed she fell asleep: she only felt her eyes close because they were oh so tired and the blurry memories of the night before were still maddening.

She almost thought it was a luck that they gave her _something_ at some point, to make her body more prone to their desires, but the ache and the sense of filthiness were in the background of her mind.

While her heart relaxed in that slumber, she found herself think about how much Yuu made everything easier in her life: soft, warm bubbles enveloped her when Yuu hugged her that morning and his quiet phrase helped her soul rise from the ground it was crawling.

_“It’s alright, don’t worry”_

Flaminia had to make another promise to her father, that morning, and maybe someone could think that she was fucking out of her mind to accept something like that.

But Yuu’s voice was so precious and she pictured his puppy eyes pleading to her… she couldn’t say no to his invite.

She needed his presence now more than ever and she would enjoy that day out with him no matter what, to make memories that will surely help once back home…

The girl didn’t know how much time passed from the last thought she had, but suddenly she felt the car motionless and the rumble of the traffic muffled, like it was far away.

She rose her head from the car window and peaked out of a slit in her eyelids, but the daylight was blinding for her tired pupils.

Flaminia moved a hand and after taking off the glasses from her face, she massaged the sleepiness away from her eyes, sighing. “S-sorry I fell aslee–” her voice stopped when she noticed she was alone in the vehicle.

Quickly her eyes darted through the windshield and Flaminia saw an almost empty parking lot in front of a row of cafés and restaurants, cherry trees sprouting every two of them and following the flow of the street.

Nervousness fell on her shoulders like a boulder: the date really started in the most shitty way, uh? She fell asleep and he abandoned her -rightly she might add- to go get his breakfast.

Her hands shuddered to unbuckle the seatbelt, but while she struggled with still numb fingers, the noise of the car door stopped her. “Good morning m’lady” Yuu’s voice startled and calmed her at the same time.

He came back to the car with his hands full of a little cardboard box, pastel colors decorating it along with the name of one of those cafés in front of the vehicle. “Ah… sorry… I’m such a boring date” she mumbled with a soft smile, looking his dark eyes gazing at her.

Yuu sat down on the driver seat and after closing the door, he put the little box on her lap. “Stop worry, I’m sleepy too” he chuckled. “Here, breakfast in bed~” Yuu joked with a little grin and Flaminia couldn’t stop her cheeks from blushing.

She then slowly opened the box, revealing a single slice of cream-and-strawberries cake and one take-away cup that smelled like coffee. “I tried to guess what you liked… ah! That’s mine” he immediately took the cup in his hand, taking a couple of sips from it.

Flaminia chuckled, feeling her heart tighten in her chest. “Awwww you’re such a gentleman~” she chirped while taking the little plastic fork that accompanied the cake. “I bet you got girls at your heels, handsome and gallant as you are” Flaminia took a first bite of the cake and she felt her mouth waters.

It was so good! She never ate such a soft sponge cake before! “Pfft, I have an army of girlfriends, yeah” Yuu chuckled lightly after few seconds of silence. “One at airport I land to!” he then turned his face to look at the girl near him, a malicious grin on his lips.

“So I’m Haneda-chan?”

Flaminia’s quirk response made the guitarist snort, but he didn’t answer back because he saw the girl lean towards him and give his lips a little, sweet-scented peck.

He closed his eyes for the span of a second, pressing faintly on those full lips, before returning to his beloved cup of coffee. “You know, isn’t healthy to have only coffee in the morning” Flaminia pointed her fork to him, showing a whole strawberry glistening with clear jelly.

Yuu immediately backed off, tilting his back a little away from her and the fork. “I need coffee to function, woman! Don’t separate me from my love” he said quite seriously while hugging protectively his styrofoam cup, but Flaminia only laughed at him and put that little red berry into her mouth.

The guitarist relaxed, rising the cup to his lips, but his eyes moved to watch her furtively: she seemed thoughtful, now poking the whipped cream and creating swirls in it.

Yuu couldn’t stop and analyzed her stance, her slowly-moving hands, her round face peak from her lilac-tinted hair.

Every seconds that passed in that silence, he thought she was acting a little strange, at least for what he knew her. “Hey…” Yuu called her suddenly and she turned her face to look up at him, moving her free hand to slither her fingers inside the guitarist’s inky and silky hair of his nape.

He leaned towards her, his left wrist on the wheel to help himself keep the cup straight, and slowly he pushed his lips again on her ones, feeling her mouth warm and soft.

It was even better than the little peck she gave him before, it was now a full-fledged kiss: swaying lips, nibbling at each other for a bunch of seconds, but when Yuu felt the very tip of her tongue brush him, he pushed more.

His mouth opened to make his own tongue creep out, his breath fastening a little, but suddenly Flaminia retracted her tongue to just push forward the whole strawberry that she never chewed nor swallowed, making it fall between his teeth.

The girl then moved away from the kiss with a winning grin, seeing the man watch her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” she whispered, her breath still a little quick.

Yuu passed from surprised to grumpy, nonchalantly chewing the fruit while pouting his lips. “And stop making that face, you’re even more adorable with it!” Flaminia chuckled, cuddling his nape still in her palm.

Her mind was aflame, half of her shouting “ _WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DID YOU JUST DO??_ ” while the other half was still drunk from the kiss.

She only hoped he woulnd’t think badly of her for the daring exchange of food, but Flaminia got a reassuring sign from Yuu, his lips slowly widening into a shy smile. “I could get used to breakfasts like this” he mumbled, drinking away what was left of the strawberry with other sips of coffee.

She just separated her hand from his hair and slowly finished her cake, feeding some more to the man near her in a more normal way, rising the fork to his lips. “Does this honorable samurai have plans for today? Where will he accompany me?” she chuckled when the last bite of the sweet disappeared into his mouth.

He cocked his head back while finishing his coffee and then he put the emptied cup near the stick shift. “I have some work to do at the studio, right now… a couple of tracks, nothing much” he said with now a mellow smile on his chiseled lips.

His eyes were strangely doubtful while he turned the car’s engine on. “If you… don’t find it boring, watching me strum some notes” Yuu’s voice was now softer and his eyes went from the windshield to her face, seeing her chocolate-colored ones shine.

“I couldn’t have a better afternoon” was her response.

░░░▒▒▓▒▒░░░

Flaminia was never been into a recording studio and now she was looking around herself in awe, following suit the guitarist into the foyer.

It had deep-red walls, leather couches and a big window that let people see who was playing in the adjacent room, but there also were a couple of vending machines and some glossy indoor plants.

The real recording room was instead bright with off-white walls covered in wood on the bottom half, computers and consoles full of buttons and little switches that were probably made for tweaking the sound.

The girl walked behind Yuu, her eyes still wondering in the room. “You can wait for me here” he spoke to her with a calm tone, waving a hand towards the couches, then he moved towards the only door in the room beside the one they used to enter, taking the guitar off his shoulder.

Flaminia sat down slowly, feeling so out of place there: it felt so ‘VIP’ and out of her league that she even feared she could stain the furniture in some ways…!

Then she moved her eyes to watch Yuu sit down in front of an already open laptop, taking the guitar on his lap before putting on a couple of big headphones.

The young woman couldn’t stop looking at his back, his arms moving now so casually while he was playing the instrument, fingers darting along the metal strings and the little bobbing motion of his head.

His face was hidden by his long inky hair circling the headphones, but she found herself thinking that Yuu was even more beautiful like that, so wrapped up in something he was so passionate about…

On the stage was absolutely divine, of course, but right now he had a human sweetness Flaminia was steadily growing fond of. “Good afternoon!” a voice chirped not too far from her and she jumped on the seat of the couch, flashing her eyes to her right: a man was standing there, a bright smile between his dimpled cheeks and dark-amber eyes glistening with happiness.

She gulped slowly, looking at the stranger walking towards the couches, hands covered with oddly shaped gloves, only two fingers covered by the fabric. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you” he added, chuckling.

Flaminia immediately shook her head, trying to force a gentle smile out of her shy expression. “You’re with Aoi, right?” the man then pointed to the guitarist with a thumb, before stretching that same hand towards the girl. “Uke Yutaka. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” he greeted.

Still looking at his face, the girl shook his hand while trying to remember where she already saw that joyful smile, then the lightning of a flashback struck her.

The drummer…! She saw him in the backstage…! “I’m Flaminia, nice to meet you too” she relaxed a little, now intoxicated by that shining smile.

Kai slumped on the couch in front of her, exhaling softly while removing the gloves from his hands. “Aoi told me about you, but I didn’t expect him to take you here today~” the drummer chirped, winking at the girl and she laughed lightly, blushing. “Well he had something to do and I couldn’t just walk away, right? And I love music in general, so it’s a win-win” she explained, passing her eyes from the drummer to Yuu, watching him moving his fingers on the touchpad of the laptop in front of him.

Flaminia then had to forcefully yank her eyes off his back to return her focus on Kai. “And your songs just waltzed into my top-ten” she smiled more sweetly now and the drummer saw her chocolate eyes lighten up. “Ah, you were at our last concert! I remember now…” he relaxed against the back of the couch, moving one knee up and down quickly, simply out of habit.

His body always following some rhythm one way or another. “You liked the show, as someone out of our fanbase?” Kai asked gently, looking right through her and seeing more colorful lights emit from her soul.

She seemed like a good girl for Aoi, maybe this was the right one. “Oh yes! I really loved it!” Flaminia tightened her fists for a moment, going back with the mind to those hours full of adrenaline. “The lights, the images on the giant screen, the lyrics, the… guitars, for more than one reason” she finished the little list with a nervous chuckle, blushing harder now with her eyes now lowering with shyness.

Kai laughed, tilting his head back while patting his thigh. “Ahh of course! It was obvious…” he said to her, before leaning forward with his elbows supported by his knees. “Afterall, Aoi always strive himself to become better and better in his job. He’s a great guitarist and an even greater friend” Kai smiled softly.

Flaminia sighed, making little smirk to the drummer. “You don’t have to sell him to me, I’m already buying~” she winked and both of them giggled. “I can see that! How long have you–” “A couple of weeks, even more” the girl interrupted Kai’s question, intertwining her fingers in her lap.

Her lips couldn’t stop the sweet smile they were curling into and her face beamed slightly when she turned to watch Aoi again.

Seeing him so focused, his face now cocked on one side while he was playing. “Almost three weeks since the first time I heard his voice…” Flaminia moved her glance onto Kai, that seemed a little confused by her last sentence.

She thought for a moment that also the drummer was really appealing, but if she could use a label to describe him, she could write ‘CUTE DADDY’ on his forehead.

But never cuter than her guitarist, of course. “We met via my work… probably Akira could explain better since he’s your friend too” she spoke softly, an enamored tone that didn’t escaped Kai’s careful ears.

Slowly, both of them stroke a conversation, jumping from passion to passion: she always wanted to become a writer, he was able to play violin at some extent and both of them loved to cook.

And meanwhile Aoi was fixing up some melodies, saving them on the laptop, Flaminia was growing a little friendship with the drummer, waiting for him to come back to her.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> Thank you so much for reading this story, I hope you're liking it!  
> Sorry if you see grammar errors or things like that, english is not my main language and I try my best to translate this from italian as good as I can! So don't be afraid to tell me, I'll fix all the errors to make this fanfiction the perfection it needs to be <3  
> Have a wonderful day!


End file.
